Collections:

Ask students why people smoke. Record their answers on the
chalkboard, transparency or butcher paper. Be sure the following reasons are
listed:

·To look cool

·To look older

·To be adventurous/rebellious

·To see what smoking is like

·To relax and relieve stress

·Because parents/family are smoking

·Because friends are smoking

·To fit in with friends

·To seem tough

·To feel independent

Explain that unfortunately some people smoke cigarettes as a
way to relieve stress.However, deep
breathing is a healthy alternative that helps to reduce stress and can function
to improve the immune system.Yoga, Tai
Chi, and Qigong are specific meditative practices that incorporate deep breathing
into exercise routines.Tai Chi and
Qigong has been known to improve health of cancer survivors and Yoga can serve
as a stress – relieving technique.

Ask students what “addiction” means.

Explain that addiction means when it is extremely difficult to
stop doing something, even if you want to stop doing it. Some things have
chemicals in them that are addictive. Tobacco products like cigarettes, cigars
and chewing tobacco have a chemical in them called nicotine. Nicotine is very
addictive. This is why it is not safe to
“just try” cigarettes or tobacco products – because once you start it is
extremely difficult to stop.

Explain that withdrawal is when your body readjusts to not
having the chemicals in it that it has become addicted to, like nicotine for
smokers or tobacco chewers. Withdrawal symptoms are very, very unpleasant. Some
of the symptoms of withdrawal are:

·Irritability

·Anxiety/nervousness

·Anger/moodiness

·Inability to concentrate

·Increase in appetite (can lead to weight gain)

·Increased heart rate/Heart beats faster (need to
smoke to “relax”)

·Headache

·Trouble sleeping

Emphasize that if you are addicted to the nicotine in
cigarettes or chewing tobacco, you start to feel these things when you are not
smoking or chewing tobacco. Therefore, whenever you are not smoking or chewing
tobacco, you feel sick and want to smoke or chew so that you feel better. Ask
students: “If smoking or chewing tobacco makes people who are addicted to these
things feel better, why should they not do it?”

To reinforce these concepts students will partake in a
simplified progressive muscle relaxation and breathing routine and play two
interactive games. The breathing activity encourages students to focus on their
breathing and since stress is a common reason people cite for smoking, this
deep-breathing routine is a useful technique to reduce feelings of stress. The
two interactive games teaches students the importance of having strong and
healthy lungs and why people choose not to smoke.